After just over a month since its announcement, HTC's First may already be getting cut from AT&T's lineup, according to BGR. A source states that the "Facebook Phone" will be discontinued in the near future, with the unsold inventory set to be returned to HTC. Actual sales numbers for the Android smartphone have yet to be revealed, but the source suggests that less than 15,000 units were purchased nationwide leading up to the extreme price cut last week when AT&T began offering the device for just $0.99.
While the huge discount may be indicative of poor performance, AT&T responded to BGR's report stating that the company does "pricing promotions all the time and have made no decisions on future plans."
This wouldn't be the first time a so-called "Facebook Phone" has failed to perform. The HTC Status, a full QWERTY Android phone released in 2011 that featured a physical Facebook button, was discontinued shortly after its launch as well.
AT&T may have a huge install base in the United States, but the carrier also offers many top-tier Android phones, as well as the iPhone, making it difficult for less attention-grabbing devices to achieve success in the oversaturated smartphone market.
Justin is all about his family and his gadgets. Follow him on MyIGN or on Twitter at @ItsTheLingo.
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